In two days time the Millenium Hotel in Queenstown will once again be host to the Queenstown Chess Classic, an international open incorporating the 116th New Zealand Championship. Again promoted by national champion GM Murray Chandler, the $50,000 prizefund on offer has attracted entries by masters and grandmasters from over 17 countries. This event, which was previously held three years ago, is the best opportunity for local players to pit themselves against profssional players from overseas. To follow the games, results or just find out more the best place to go is the official website www.queenstownchess.com.
Today's game is from the George Trundle Masters tournament in Auckland last year, which has been another chance for top New Zealand players to test themselves in international competition. FM Stephen Lukey of Christchurch will be looking to reprise the success he had as White in this game against Australian FM Tim Reilly when he competes in Queenstown.
1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 f5 4. g3 Nf6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Qe8 8. b3!? ---
The game has transposed to a Leningrad Dutch Defence. This move is a relative sideline compared to 8. d5, preventing Black from establishing a pawn on e5, which was played in a previous game between the same opponents. 8. --- e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. e4 Nc6 11. Nd5 Qd7 12. Ba3 Rd8 13. Qc2! ---
A pawn sacrifice to retain the initiative, presumably the result of specific preparation for this game. Other moves have lead to goods results for Black. 13. --- Nxe4 14. Rad1 Nd4!?
Giving back the pawn with the intention of exchanging some minor pieces and freeing his game. 15. Nxd4 exd4 16. Bxe4 fxe4 17. Qxe4 Qf7?!
Black mistakenly thinks that once he has developed, his passed d-pawn will give him adequate counterplay. A previous game Baburin-Wall 1999 went 17 ... Qg4 here, but also lead to a White advantage. Perhaps best is 17 ... c6!? 18 Ne7+ Kf7! 19 Rfe1 Bf6 when White has no breakthrough and eventually will have to exchange his knight for the bishop on c8.
18. Rxd4! Re8
After 18 ... Bxd4? 19 Qxd4 the invasion along the long diagonal leads to a winning attack for White – e.g. 19 ... Be6 20 Bb2 Kf8 21 Qc5+ Rd6 22 Nxc7 Rad8 23 Be5 regaining the sacrificed exchange with interest. The rook stays immune for the next two moves. 19. Qh4 Bf5 20. Rfd1 Bc2?!
Black desperately seeks complications in the face of the White attack and pawn surplus. However, these too favour White. 21. Rf4! Bxd1 22. Rxf7 Re1+ 23. Kg2 Kxf7 24. Nxc7 Rc8 25. Qf4+ Kg8 26. Qd2 ---
This fork picks up another piece and spells the end for Black, who plays on until mate in the hope of exploiting White's time shortage. 26. --- Re2 27. Qxd1 Rxa2 28. Qd7 Rb8 29. Ne8 Bc3 30. Bb4 Ba1 31. Qe6+ Kh8 32. Bd6 Ra8 33. Be5+ Bxe5 34. Qxe5+ Resigns
All eyes to Queenstown
Problem: White to play and mate in five.
In two days time the Millenium Hotel in Queenstown will once again be host to the Queenstown Chess Classic, an international open incorporating the 116th New Zealand Championship. Again promoted by national champion GM Murray Chandler, the $50,000 prizefund on offer has attracted entries by masters and grandmasters from over 17 countries. This event, which was previously held three years ago, is the best opportunity for local players to pit themselves against profssional players from overseas. To follow the games, results or just find out more the best place to go is the official website www.queenstownchess.com.
Today's game is from the George Trundle Masters tournament in Auckland last year, which has been another chance for top New Zealand players to test themselves in international competition. FM Stephen Lukey of Christchurch will be looking to reprise the success he had as White in this game against Australian FM Tim Reilly when he competes in Queenstown.
1. d4 d6
2. Nf3 g6
3. c4 f5
4. g3 Nf6
5. Bg2 Bg7
6. O-O O-O
7. Nc3 Qe8
8. b3!? ---
The game has transposed to a Leningrad Dutch Defence. This move is a relative sideline compared to 8. d5, preventing Black from establishing a pawn on e5, which was played in a previous game between the same opponents.
8. --- e5
9. dxe5 dxe5
10. e4 Nc6
11. Nd5 Qd7
12. Ba3 Rd8
13. Qc2! ---
A pawn sacrifice to retain the initiative, presumably the result of specific preparation for this game. Other moves have lead to goods results for Black.
13. --- Nxe4
14. Rad1 Nd4!?
Giving back the pawn with the intention of exchanging some minor pieces and freeing his game.
15. Nxd4 exd4
16. Bxe4 fxe4
17. Qxe4 Qf7?!
Black mistakenly thinks that once he has developed, his passed d-pawn will give him adequate counterplay. A previous game Baburin-Wall 1999 went 17 ... Qg4 here, but also lead to a White advantage. Perhaps best is 17 ... c6!? 18 Ne7+ Kf7! 19 Rfe1 Bf6 when White has no breakthrough and eventually will have to exchange his knight for the bishop on c8.
18. Rxd4! Re8
After 18 ... Bxd4? 19 Qxd4 the invasion along the long diagonal leads to a winning attack for White – e.g. 19 ... Be6 20 Bb2 Kf8 21 Qc5+ Rd6 22 Nxc7 Rad8 23 Be5 regaining the sacrificed exchange with interest. The rook stays immune for the next two moves.
19. Qh4 Bf5
20. Rfd1 Bc2?!
Black desperately seeks complications in the face of the White attack and pawn surplus. However, these too favour White.
21. Rf4! Bxd1
22. Rxf7 Re1+
23. Kg2 Kxf7
24. Nxc7 Rc8
25. Qf4+ Kg8
26. Qd2 ---
This fork picks up another piece and spells the end for Black, who plays on until mate in the hope of exploiting White's time shortage.
26. --- Re2
27. Qxd1 Rxa2
28. Qd7 Rb8
29. Ne8 Bc3
30. Bb4 Ba1
31. Qe6+ Kh8
32. Bd6 Ra8
33. Be5+ Bxe5
34. Qxe5+ Resigns
1-0
Solution: 1 Qh7+!! Kf8 (1... Kxh7 2 hxg7+ Bh4 3 Rxh4+ Kg8 4 Rh8#) 2 Bb4+ c5 3 Bxc5+ Rfe7 4 hxg7+ Bxg7 5 Qxg7#.